Apparatus and method for generating bubbles

Abstract

A bubble generating apparatus and a method for producing bubbles. The bubble generating apparatus may include a bubble solution reservoir containing a bubble solution, a water chamber containing water, an atomizer fluid configured to convert the water to vapor, and a bubble generating device having at least one opening. There may be a motor and a first fan device operably coupled to the motor. Upon activating the atomizer and the motor, the bubble generating device becomes loaded with the bubble solution, the atomizer converts the liquid in the liquid chamber to a vapor, and the first fan device generates a first air stream that causes the vapor to flow towards the at least one opening of the bubble generating device to generate one or more bubbles from the bubble solution loaded on the bubble generating device, the bubbles being filled with the vapor to give the bubbles a cloudy appearance.

1 . An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:
 a housing comprising a bubble solution reservoir configured to hold a bubble solution and a water chamber configured to hold water;   at least one ultrasonic atomizer fluidly coupled to the water in the water chamber and configured to convert the water in the water chamber to a vapor;   a vapor chamber in fluid communication with the water chamber for containing the vapor;   at least one motor positioned in the housing;   a first fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor to generate a first air stream;   a bubble generating device comprising a bubble generating opening; and   wherein upon activating the ultrasonic atomizer and the at least one motor, the bubble generating device becomes loaded with the bubble solution, the ultrasonic atomizer converts the water in the water chamber to a vapor that flows into the vapor chamber, and the at least one motor drives the first fan device to generate the first air stream that flows through the vapor chamber and forces the vapor to flow towards the bubble generating opening to generate bubbles from the bubble solution loaded on the bubble generating device that are filled with the vapor.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is configured to operate in one of: (1) a first mode whereby the ultrasonic atomizer and the at least one motor are activated to generate the bubbles that are filled with the vapor; and (2) a second mode whereby the at least one motor is activated and the ultrasonic atomizer is not activated to generate bubbles that are not filled with the vapor. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the vapor chamber is defined by a vapor chamber housing, and further comprising at least one opening forming a passageway between the vapor chamber and the water chamber, one of the ultrasonic atomizers being positioned within each of the at least one openings, the vapor chamber housing further comprising an air inlet opening fluidly coupled to the first fan device so that the first air stream generated by the first fan device flows into the vapor chamber prior to exiting the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a second fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor to generate a second air stream, the housing comprising a blower outlet through which the second air stream exits the housing, and wherein the second air stream flows out of the blower outlet in a direction towards the bubble generating opening to separate the bubbles from the housing and blow the bubbles into the air. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the housing comprises a front face portion, a bubble solution tank that defines the bubble solution reservoir being coupled to the front face portion, and wherein the bubble generating opening and the blower outlet are located adjacent to one another on the front face portion above the bubble solution tank. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the bubble generating device is non-movable relative to the housing and forms an outlet of the vapor chamber, and further comprising a bubble solution delivery mechanism for delivering the bubble solution from the bubble solution reservoir to the bubble generating device to form a film of the bubble solution that extends across the bubble generating opening. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the bubble solution delivery mechanism comprises a hub portion and at least one delivery arm extending from the hub portion, wherein the at least one motor is operably coupled to the bubble solution delivery mechanism to rotate the bubble solution delivery mechanism about a rotational axis, and wherein during rotation of the bubble solution delivery mechanism the at least one delivery arm passes over the bubble generating opening and carries the bubble solution from the bubble solution reservoir to the bubble generating device. 
     
     
         12 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the housing extends along a longitudinal axis, the bubble solution delivery mechanism is configured to rotate about a rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the first air stream exits the housing through the bubble generating opening along a first air stream axis that is oblique to the longitudinal axis and to the rotational axis. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the water is pure distilled water that is free of any glyercin, glycol, and oil, and wherein the water is converted to vapor without applying heat to the water. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:
 a bubble solution reservoir containing a bubble solution;   a liquid chamber containing a liquid that is free of oil, glycerin and glycol;   at least one atomizer fluidly coupled to the liquid in the liquid chamber, wherein the atomizer is configured to convert the liquid in the liquid chamber to vapor;   a bubble generating device comprising at least one opening;   at least one motor;   a first fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor; and   wherein upon activating the atomizer and the at least one motor, the bubble generating device becomes loaded with the bubble solution, the atomizer converts the liquid in the liquid chamber to a vapor, and the first fan device generates a first air stream that causes the vapor to flow through the at least one opening of the bubble generating device to generate one or more bubbles from the bubble solution loaded on the bubble generating device, the bubbles being filled with the vapor to give the bubbles a cloudy appearance.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the liquid is distilled water. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a bubble solution delivery mechanism wherein the at least one motor is operably coupled to the bubble solution delivery mechanism to rotate the bubble solution delivery mechanism about a rotational axis, and wherein during the rotation of the bubble solution delivery mechanism about the rotational axis the bubble solution delivery mechanism carries the bubble solution from the bubble solution reservoir to the bubble generating device to form a film of the bubble solution that extends across the at least one opening, and wherein upon the first air stream causing the vapor to flow towards the at least one opening that is covered by the film of the bubble solution, the one or more bubbles that are filled with the vapor are formed. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  further comprising a second fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor to generate a second air stream, wherein the second air stream flows through a blower outlet that is adjacent to the at least one opening of the bubble generating device in a direction towards the one or more bubbles to detach the one or more bubbles from the bubble generating device. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:
 a bubble solution reservoir configured to hold a bubble solution;   at least one motor;   a first fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor to generate a first air stream;   a second fan device operably coupled to the at least one motor to generate a second air stream;   a bubble generating device comprising a bubble generating opening;   a blower outlet adjacent to the bubble generating opening; and   wherein upon activating the at least one motor, the bubble generating device becomes loaded with the bubble solution, the first air stream flows through the bubble generating opening to form bubbles from the bubble solution, and the second air stream flows through the blower outlet towards the bubbles to separate the bubbles from the bubble generating device.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25  further comprising a housing extending from a bottom end to a top end along a longitudinal axis, the housing comprising an internal cavity, the at least one motor and the first and second fan devices located within the internal cavity, and wherein the first air stream flows through the bubble generating opening along a first air stream axis that is oblique to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein the at least one motor comprises a first motor operably coupled to the first fan device and a second motor operably coupled to the second fan device. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 25  further comprising a bubble solution delivery mechanism for delivering the bubble solution from the bubble solution reservoir to the bubble generating device to form a film of the bubble solution that extends across the bubble generating opening, wherein the at least one motor comprises a first motor operably coupled to the first fan device and a second motor operably coupled to the second fan device and to the bubble solution delivery mechanism. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 25  further comprising:
 a water chamber configured to hold water; 
 at least one ultrasonic atomizer fluidly coupled to the water in the water chamber and configured to convert the water in the water chamber to a vapor; 
 a vapor chamber in fluid communication with the water chamber for containing the vapor; 
 wherein the first air stream flows through the vapor chamber and causes the vapor to flow towards the bubble generating opening so that the bubbles formed from the bubble solution are filled with the vapor and have a cloudy appearance. 
 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 25  further comprising a housing comprising an internal cavity, the at least one motor and the first and second fan devices disposed within the internal cavity, and wherein the housing comprises a front face, the bubble generating opening and the blower outlet located on the front face of the housing. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 32  wherein the blower outlet is located at a lower elevation along the front face than the bubble generating opening. 
     
     
         34 .- 55 . (canceled)